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Bradley Wiggins confirms Tour de France absence after time trials win Bradley Wiggins confirms Tour de France absence after time trials win
(35 minutes later)
Bradley Wiggins made a point to Team Sky, to his doubters, to his former team mate Alex Dowsett and the wider world of cycling with an impressive performance which saw him win the British national time trial championship in Newport. Left out of the Sky squad for the upcoming Tour de France, Wiggins crashed and pulled out of the recent Tour of Switzerland, so this title-winning ride was a stunning riposte to those who thought him washed up.Bradley Wiggins made a point to Team Sky, to his doubters, to his former team mate Alex Dowsett and the wider world of cycling with an impressive performance which saw him win the British national time trial championship in Newport. Left out of the Sky squad for the upcoming Tour de France, Wiggins crashed and pulled out of the recent Tour of Switzerland, so this title-winning ride was a stunning riposte to those who thought him washed up.
In spite of his evident disappointment at not making the Tour team, Wiggins appeared remarkably calm and there was no hint of bitterness or supressed anger as he faced the media after the podium presentation. “I’d have liked to have been there at the Tour,” stated Wiggins evenly, “but it came down that there was a cut-off point, and having gone back on the track early, I didn’t have the preparation. It’s disappointing on a personal level, but I think from a team point of view it’s probably the strongest team possible as it stands today,” said Wiggins, sending a signal that his attempt to get into the GB track team for the Rio Olympics was on, even as his Tour de France ‘dream’ was over. In spite of his evident disappointment at not making the Tour team, Wiggins appeared remarkably calm and there was no hint of bitterness or suppressed anger as he faced the media after the podium presentation. “I’d have liked to have been there at the Tour,” stated Wiggins evenly, “but it came down that there was a cut-off point, and having gone back on the track early, I didn’t have the preparation.
Wiggins posted the fastest time on the opening 21km lap of the technical, hilly course traced around Celtic Manor and was never bested, in spite of the cold, wet weather – exactly the sort of conditions which saw his attempt to win the 2013 Giro d’Italia collapse. Those who imagined that ‘Wiggo’ had lost his bottle when it came to treacherous wet descents would have been stunned at his 55mph corner speed on rain-sodden Welsh B-roads. “It’s disappointing on a personal level, but I think from a team point of view it’s probably the strongest team possible as it stands today,” said Wiggins, sending a signal that his attempt to get into the GB track team for the Rio Olympics was on, even as his Tour de France “dream” was over.
Wiggins posted the fastest time on the opening 21km lap of the technical, hilly course traced around Celtic Manor and was never bested in spite of the cold, wet weather – exactly the sort of conditions which saw his attempt to win the 2013 Giro d’Italia collapse. Those who imagined that he had lost his bottle when it came to treacherous wet descents would have been stunned at his 55mph corner speeds on rain-sodden Welsh B-roads.
The course, which was traced around the Celtic Manor golf course, took in some narrow, steep roads, but Wiggins wasn’t deterred. “Was it a case of all or nothing today? It was actually. I said to my wife earlier ‘I wonder where the nearest hospital is?’ I thought it would be Newport, but she said it would be a university hospital, so there would have been some good staff there. It was one of those today, just full commitment off the start ramp, especially with that first (downhill) corner just after the start. It set the tone for the rest of the ride. But it wasn’t about proving a point, not really because any time trial I go into, especially as Olympic champion, you want to win it.”The course, which was traced around the Celtic Manor golf course, took in some narrow, steep roads, but Wiggins wasn’t deterred. “Was it a case of all or nothing today? It was actually. I said to my wife earlier ‘I wonder where the nearest hospital is?’ I thought it would be Newport, but she said it would be a university hospital, so there would have been some good staff there. It was one of those today, just full commitment off the start ramp, especially with that first (downhill) corner just after the start. It set the tone for the rest of the ride. But it wasn’t about proving a point, not really because any time trial I go into, especially as Olympic champion, you want to win it.”
Wiggins’ determination and pace was too fast for his team mate and local hero Geraint Thomas who claimed the silver medal and there was nothing that his former team mate Alex Dowsett, now riding for Spanish team Movistar team, could do either. “When I came through at the end of the first lap and heard I was a minute down on Brad, I knew it was a big ask. The fact that my second lap was better than my first and I only lost a minute and a half is like a bonus, I’m happy just to be on the podium,” said a disconsolate Dowsett, winner of the previous three time trial championships. Last year Dowsett had impetuously suggested that the national time trial title felt like ‘his’ and that it wasn’t simply out on loan from Wiggins. This result felt in part like Wiggins putting the young pretender back in his box. Wiggins’s determination and pace was too much for his team mate and local hero Geraint Thomas, who claimed the silver medal. Nor was there anything that his former team mate Alex Dowsett, now riding for Spanish team Movistar team, could do either. “When I came through at the end of the first lap and heard I was a minute down on Brad, I knew it was a big ask,” said Dowsett, winner of the previous three time trial championships. “The fact that my second lap was better than my first and I only lost a minute and a half is like a bonus, I’m happy just to be on the podium.” Last year Dowsett had impetuously suggested that the national time trial title felt like ‘his’ and that it wasn’t simply out on loan from Wiggins. This result felt in part like Wiggins putting the young pretender back in his box.
If Wiggins was contented and Dowsett utterly distraught, second-placed Thomas was remarkably chipper. “There’s no shame in coming second behind Brad, none at all,” said the Welshman who enjoyed noisy support around the circuit. “It was weird being at home and having to prepare my usual pre-race meal. I went to the cupboard to get some pasta and there wasn’t any in, so I had to go and buy some.” “I hear he’s (Wiggins) tipped me as favourite for Sunday, typical, he loves piling the pressure on. Obviously the main thing is that the team wins and I’d love it to be me. As far as rivals go for Sunday I’d say there’s Rowe, Kennaugh..”, laughed Thomas, reeling off the names of his Sky team mates. For Wiggins though, the pressure has gone, there’s no Tour this year and it’s hard not to think there won’t be another. With Wiggins, you never know what might happen. If Wiggins was contented and Dowsett disconsolate, second-placed Thomas was remarkably chipper. “There’s no shame in coming second behind Brad, none at all,” said the Welshman, who enjoyed noisy support around the circuit. “It was weird being at home and having to prepare my usual pre-race meal. I went to the cupboard to get some pasta and there wasn’t any in, so I had to go out and buy some.” “I hear he’s (Wiggins) tipped me as favourite for Sunday, typical, he loves piling the pressure on. Obviously the main thing is that the team wins and I’d love it to be me. As far as rivals go for Sunday I’d say there’s Rowe, Kennaugh ...”, laughed Thomas, reeling off the names of his Sky team mates. For Wiggins though, the pressure has gone, there’s no Tour this year, and it’s hard not to think there won’t be another. With Wiggins, you never know what might happen.